Improvement in clutches for power-presses



V I 2Sheets--Sheet1. 'A'. H. MERRIMAN. "Clutch for Power-Press.

.N |64 690 Patentedjune 22,1875.

Wl [NESSES' I I I INVENT-UR.

2Sheet-s--'Sheet 2.

Patentedlune 22,1875.

. y// fl fl w A. H. MERRIMAN. Clutch for Power-Press.

W ITN'EVSSES UNITED STATES PATENT, Orrron.

ALANSON H. MERRIMAN, OF WEST MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLUTCHES FOR POWER-DRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 164,690, dated June 22,1875 application tiled May 10, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALANSON H. IVIERRI- MAN, of West Meriden, county ofNew Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Punch- Iress Clutch; and to enable others skilledin the art to make and use the same I will proceed to describe it,referring to the drawings, in which the same letters indicate like partsin each of the figures.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation.Fig. 1 is a back end elevation; Fig. 3, top and end view of thehorizontal sliding guide-groove.

My invention relates to an improvement in that part of a power -pressknown as the clutch, or device for connecting and disconnecting thepower from the press when desirable.

A is the frame or body of the press, having proper bearings, into whichis fitted closely and works freely a shaft, B, upon the front end ofwhich is formed or secured a crank or wrist-pin, C, to which the slideor plate for holding the tool is attached, as shown in my patent, May26,1868, No. 78,225. D is the d living-wheel, which is fitted closelyand turns freely upon the shaft B next to the body or frame A. Into thehub of this wheel D is fitted a friction sliding dog-pin, E,which isheld by a friction device from moving in either di rection, except whenactuated by a horizontal concave sliding guide shoe-plate, F. Just backof the wheel D, upon the shaft B, is fitted a clutch-collar, G, securedto turn in uniformity with the shaft by a key, H. Directly under and paallel with the shaft B is a bracket, I, having a V-shaped groove, intowhich is fitted closely and moves freely a sliding plate, J. On theupper side and outer end, and at right angles with this plate J, anddirectly under the wheel-hub, is the concave guide shoe-plate F,

the curve or section of a circle of which is a little larger than thediameter of the wheelhub, and the side guide 1 is formed inclineshaped,or diverging outward each way from the center of the plate F, and theguide 2 is formed at right angles with the shaft B two inches, more orless, directly under said shaft, and in diverging lines each waytherefrom. This concave sliding guide shoe-plate F is actuated back by afoot-lever, a, and its connections b 0, which are supported or held inthe brackets d c, and is reacted, when the foot is removed from thetreadle, by a spring, f. The upper end of the lever-connection 0 passesthrough an elongated orifice in the plate I, into an orifice in theshoe-plate F, and is thrown outward by the foot-treadle or lever 61,and, when the foot is removed, is reacted by the spring f.

Now, it will' be clearly seen that the direction of the revolution ofthe wheel D is immaterial, thereby avoiding accidents, which otherwiseare liable to occur; also, that when a full action of the press is had,and the foot removed from the treadle, the center of the crank or wristpin 0 will rest at the highest point of its circle. Y

Thus I am. enabled to greatly simplify and produce quick and positiveaction of the clutch.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a press, substantially as herein described, the wheel D, sliding pinE, collar Gr, key H, guide-plate F, bracket I, plate J, andspringtreadle, all combined to operate substantially as herein setforth.

ALANSON H. MERRIMAN.

Witnesses:

N. G. WILDER, JEREMY W. BLIss.

